Frowning, she instinctively reached out for the open carton, taking one between her slender fingers before offering a simple nod of gratitude. With it hanging from her fingers, she patiently waited for him to move for the lighter.
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"Is that so."
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It was hard for her mind to crawl to any concrete guesses, especially given her short tenure thus far. But that only made her all the more curious.
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"Are these facts, or assumptions based on their actions?"

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[attr="class","ooc"] FERNANDO SILPH[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

"Ah, so that's what you're going for."
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Another gotcha.
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Because why find common ground when you can test the very foundations of one's agreed partnership?
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"I thought we were past this already," she sighed, extending her arm to let the end of the bud catch light. Once it did, she'd allow the stick to hover inches from her lips, taunting her with its promise of warmth and temporary relief. If only she could extend that promise into a lifetime's worth of supply. "It isn't as simple as who does or doesn't care for Hoenn. Even if one's intentions are good, if their actions suggests otherwise, it creates a net negative for the region."
[break][break]


Penelope couldn't help but think of the instances Fernando had brought up earlier. The head scientist who attacked one of their machines, and how that helped contribute to their dire current situation.
[break][break]


Finally, she allowed the cigarette to slip between her lips, filling her lungs with its cancerous smoke, before eventually letting it all plume back out, blanketing the sky with a heavy gray.
[break][break]


"As a reporter, my job was to speak of those actions. Because, at the end of the day, it doesn't matter what The League says. It matters what they do."
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"As a councilwoman, I look at the entire picture. What were the person's intentions? What were the actions they committed? What were the results of those actions? Why did they do what they did? "
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"I naturally want to believe, deep down, all of us are here for the same reason. It makes tolerating each other a bit easier, I think."
[break][break]


She leaned forward for another pull from the cigarette, taking a second longer to release the pent-up smoke.
[break][break]


"But, more than anything else, even as reporter, all I wanted was accountability. Which I intend to bring, should anyone's actions prove to fit 'such a description' "

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] FERNANDO SILPH[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

"Laurence Anderson ."
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The first answer came after a hefty amount of time reviewing the Ranger's meeting back in August.
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"illeana reyes ."
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The second answer came after a careful review of her incident with Sea Hoenn, and the repercussions of it.
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"Elinor Anderson ."
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The third answer was almost instinctual, as her position within Council always rose a few questions for her. Not only that, but after their meeting with Sea Hoenn, she always meant to schedule a short meeting.
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"MATIAS SILPH ."
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Another name with a list of questionable decisions to back it up.
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"Those are the names I've been watching the most."
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[attr="class","ooc"] FERNANDO SILPH [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

The councilman's rare burst of laughter only served to irritate Penelope. With harsh movements, she yanked the cigarette from her lips once more, this time blowing out the huff of smoke from pursed lips.
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"Again, I say, intentions are meaningless when your actions act contradictory to your words."
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So many times they were promised better from The League and kim cole-essam 's smooth-talking speeches, and so many times the organization failed to deliver.
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"Laurence Anderson 's love for the region doesn't dismiss the damage he'll continue to inflict towards the rangers if he doesn't grasp the magnitude of his role as Head Ranger quickly."
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She could still remember the shock she faced when first reading the report paxton concordas had initially submitted to her office. How a meeting, meant to rally their rangers together in preparation for the meteor, turned into a pie-slinging fiasco where the leader himself resorted to calling their commissioner a bitch.
[break][break]


"MATIAS SILPH undoubtedly loves the region and works to protect it. But my worries lie in the day he determines The League's ruling to be inefficient and make a move by himself."
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What is he willing to do to complete his goals, she wondered. Because, the moment those actions stray from their jurisdiction, it became a problem she'd have to deal with, one way or another.
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"Frankly, I hold a bias towards illeana reyes . I know quite well her love for Hoenn and know of her capabilities. She's one of our best for a reason. But, like MATIAS SILPH , she holds a questionable history of decision-making. She has a goal beyond just the region's safety -- or, at least, that's my personal assumption. Which makes me wonder: what's more important for her? Achieving said goal or protecting the region."
[break][break]


She prayed a silent apology to the scientist.
[break][break]


From the list she provided, Penelope purposely skipped over the only other council member, as her reasonings were not as concrete as the others. It was more personal, much like FERNANDO SILPH 's apparent feelings toward his own brother.
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"To clarify: I'm not looking to remove any of them from their positions. Nor anyone else in particular. Not now, at least. Just, during my time onboarding, those were the names that popped out among the rest. As you said, they've all proven their loyalty to the league, so it's not their commitment I worry, but their personal goals and the actions they're willing to take to achieve them."
[break][break]


Because they all had one. And it was her job to figure them out.
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Finally, she finished it off with a simple conclusion.
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"Be satisfied with this much."
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[attr="class","ooc"] FERNANDO SILPH[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

The smile that cracked came as a wild surprise she hadn't expected from someone like himself. With her eyes lightly widened, she reached for her lips again, desperate to feel the familiarity of nicotine's consistent comfort, all to combat what had just been unlocked.
[break][break]

But, somehow, the frigid air did more for her than the flimsy stick. Quietly, it reminded her, how death is merely a part of the cycle, not the end of it, just like how a sunrise can never occur without the previous day's setting.
[break][break]

"Maybe one day I'll grow to agree with you," She offered. Unlike FERNANDO SILPH , her experience working alongside the mentioned names was short and without many difficult choices. Moving forward, that would be forced to change. "Or, maybe, they'll prove to me that I was right to assume what I did."
[break][break]

Remembering the ball of ash between his fingertips, Penelope extended her hand toward the councilman. There, snugged between her index and middle finger, she offered her still-lit cigarette to him. To save him the hassle of lighting another one.
[break][break]

"But, for once, I hope you're right about this. For everyone's sake."
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[attr="class","ooc"] FERNANDO SILPH[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

His sheer confidence earned itself a half smile. Despite all of their disagreeances, she could at least secretly admit to herself that this was one thing she envied about @fernando, council member, and silph co. CEO.
[break][break]

When he came down to a slouch for the cigarette, she had to bite back a laugh. Wouldn't it just be better to take the damn thing, she initially wondered, but even those thoughts were curtailed by the sudden awkwardness of being forced into seeing the tall man at eye level.
[break][break]

"Is that so?"
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If only she could pick his brain without the threat of a hidden beartrap awaiting her ankles. Maybe then she could offer the same sentiment of confidence toward her coworker. "Well, for all that you are, take it as a compliment."
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Because she sure would've loved to include him, had he given her a reason to.
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"For once, my reports won't be targeting you."


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[attr="class","ooc"] FERNANDO SILPH[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]